St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-12-17
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

A large number of small tobacc<
factories arc being started in Florid:
to work up the tobacco grown in thu
State.
The yearly manufacture Of pins j.
placed at 4.695. 600. 900 in England, and
ut 6,7aO. .OOO. 900 in New England.
Preliminary arrangements have
been entered into to establish a large
manufactory in Phoenix, Ari., to make
sugar from sorghum.
Grand Duke Nicholas, of Russia
Is credited with being an enthusiastic
student OF natural history. and with q
new work on the entomology Of the
Caucasus.
A good photograph Of the seventh
moon of Saturn has been obtained by
the Messrs Henry, at tho Paris observ-
atory. The Photographic plate had
to be exposed thirty-fivo minutes. This
moon is known to astronomers as
Hyperion. and was the last satellite oi
Satarn to be discovered.-N T. Ledger.
The manufacture Of solid carbonic
acid gas is said to have become a
settled industry in Berlin. It is put in
small cylinders and if kept under pres
sur8 will last some time; that is u
cylinder one and half inches in
diameter and two inches long takes
d<e hours "a melt away into gas.
II the statements which come from
Brazil on the subject are trustworthy.
the Freire system of inoculation against
yellow fever certainly seems to he etiica-
cious. The mortality from the disease
in Rio de Jaheiro is said to be ten times
as great among those who have not
been treated hY DIR. Freirs's method as
among persons Nho have been inocu-
lated.-M. T. Lsdley. u
Tho entire y iual prod motion OF the
cordase miIl66f the United States. it is
stated. 10 ah0ut l2O. 900 tons. valued at
about $24.OO0.0OO. u this, about 4o.-
900 tons is binder twinc. and the bal
ance is rope Of all sizes. froe, the largest
hawser down to the orllnary manila
tarred rope most used b. ssilors in spill
cling and repai,s.--I'Mblic Opinion.
DR. John Vansant. of the United
States marine hospital at ST. Louis.
claims to be the first to have taken
photographs by the light Of fireflies.
He placed twelve fircflics in = three
ounce bottle. covering its mouth with
fine bobinet. The average duration OF
the flash Of each insect was half q
second. and the luminous area on the
abdomen was about one-eighth Of an
inch square. The time Of exposure was
fifty flashes.-Seiencc.
Faye. the French ynoteorologist.
thinks the movement oesa tornado Is
not ascending. rs some scientists sup
pose it to be. but descending. pene-
trating the lower layers of the atmos-
phere like corkscrcw. The destruct-
i've effects Of these storms are ascribed
to the violent shock occasioned by the
collision of the descending spirals with
the ground. and the energy is not ap-
parently lcssencd by this contact, mas
much rs it is constantly renewed from
above. and transmitted to the earth by
tie rotary motion downwarda-M r
Ledger.
"A French Fuel: The plan Of util-
izing coke dust by making it into bri-
quettes has been successfully adopted
by gas company at Lyons, France.
This is accomplished by mixing each
ton of fine coke with about 200 pounds
Of coal-tar pitch and then passing
through 4 compressiny machine. the
total cost is "a per ton. and the product
readily sells for $3.50 to IS per ton.
The expense for the plant, with ca
pacity Of sixty-iive tons daily, was only
Is. OO.-Arkansaw Trareicr.
We learn from the Pittsburgh Iron
World that Pittsburgh steel-makers
have established agencies for the sale
II the finer grades Of steel suitable for
making cutlery in Europe. India and
Their sales have been So
as to practically guarantee
IN established trade. Steel has been
'old in competition with English-made
teel at the same prices. and. the World
ays. 1.-THE prices. under the circum.
tances, were entirely satisfactory to
he producers.
The barramanda proves to be
. connecting link of primary rank
,etwecn the oldest surviving group
4 fishes and the lowest air
,reathing animals like the frogs
md salamanders. 1t leaves its ma
i've streams at night and sets out
m foraging expedition after vegetable
ood in the neighboring woodlands. 1t
'as both lungs and gills. 1t can
'reathe either air or water at will. or,
I it chooses, the two together. Though
overed with scales aud most fish-like
n outline. it presents points Of ana
omical resemblance both to sala-
handlers and lizards, and is connect
ny bond between the North American
mud fish on the one hand and the won
erful lepidosiren on the other.